Dress shirt without sleeve portions

ABSTRACT

A dress shirt includes a collar portion for generally fitting around a neck of a person. The dress shirt further includes a back portion connected to the collar portion and extends downwardly therefrom. The back portion preferably has a bottom portion ending above the bottom portion of the front portion. A securing mechanism may include a first elastic strap having a first end portion connected to one of the plurality of outer edge portions. The strap may further have a second end portion removably attachable to another of the plurality of outer edge portions. The first and second end portions of the strap may include Velcro material for fastening to each other. The securing mechanism may also include a second elastic strap extending downwardly from the back portion and traversing across the first strap. The second strap may be connected to the first strap.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable.

REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX

Not Applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field

This invention relates to a dress shirt and, more particularly, to a dress shirt without sleeve portions for providing comfort and convenience.

2. Prior Art

Presently, there is a trend in offices, schools and other places of employment to wear leisure and/or casual attire. Ladies and gentlemen have taken to wearing casual clothing that permits a more comfortable working or learning environment and presents a more egalitarian society. Furthermore, vacationers and tourists have become more casual as formal clothing is rarely worn during vacations and as the extra weight in transporting formal clothing on vacation makes carrying such clothes impractical. It has become rare to find vacationers traveling with formal attire.

As a result, it is often the case that when there is a call for a more formal look, such as when a client makes a surprise visit to an office, upon entering an upscale restaurant, or when visiting a tourist site that requires a more polished appearance, many persons are not appropriately dressed for the situation. In the case of tourists far from home, such situations present the option of missing out on an interesting site, event, or restaurant, or purchasing new clothes (typically at premium prices) at the vacation site. For professionals, they must often carry an extra dress shirt or formal shirt to wear with a suit jacket.

Furthermore, it frequently occurs that when a person goes to a clothing store to purchase a suit, he/she is not dressed in a dress shirt. In trying on various suits, the wearer is not able to visualize a particular suit with the various types of dress shirts he/she intends to wear. Thus, in many instances a suit is not purchased since the wearer is doubtful as to how a particular combination of shirt and suit will look or, if the suit purchased, there may be disappointment when the suit is actually worn with a certain style of dress shirt.

Accordingly, there is a need for a shirt which simulates a dress shirt when worn with the jacket of a suit to enable the wearer to quickly get dressed and to clearly visualize the appearance of a suit with a particular dress shirt.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing background, it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a dress shirt without sleeve portions. These and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention are provided by a dress shirt including a collar portion for generally fitting around a neck of a person. The dress shirt further includes a front portion having a centrally disposed longitudinal axis and including a plurality of opposed outer edge portions spaced substantially equally and outwardly from the longitudinal axis. The front portion preferably has a top portion integral therewith and connected to the collar portion and further has a bottom portion integral therewith and spaced from the top portion and disposed generally about a waist of a person.

The dress shirt further includes a back portion connected to the collar portion and extends downwardly therefrom. The back portion preferably has a bottom portion ending above the bottom portion of the front portion. The dress shirt further includes a mechanism for removably securing the bottom and back portions at a stable position.

The front portion preferably further includes a plurality of inner edge portions aligned generally parallel to the longitudinal axis and overlap each other. One of the plurality of inner edge portions preferably includes a plurality of slots spaced from each other generally parallel to the longitudinal axis. Another of the plurality of inner edge portions preferably includes a plurality of fastening members spaced from each other generally parallel to the longitudinal axis and substantially aligned with the plurality of slots for interlocking therewith respectively.

The top portion of the front portion may have a width that is greater than a width of the bottom portion thereof. The plurality of outer edge portions may converge downwardly towards each other and end at the bottom portion of the front portion and generally at the longitudinal axis. In one embodiment, the bottom portion may have substantially arcuate shapes.

The securing mechanism may include a first elastic strap having a first end portion connected to one of the plurality of outer edge portions. The strap may further have a second end portion removably attachable to another of the plurality of outer edge portions. The first and second end portions of the strap may include Velcro material for fastening to each other. The securing mechanism may also include a second elastic strap extending downwardly from the back portion and traversing across the first strap. The second strap may be connected to the first strap.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

The novel features believed to be characteristic of this invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a dress shirt including a plurality of elastic straps, in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a rear elevational view thereof;

FIG. 3 is a partial front elevational view of FIG. 1 showing an alternate embodiment of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a front elevational view showing yet another embodiment of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this application will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the true scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout, and prime and double prime notations are used to indicate similar elements in alternate embodiments.

The dress shirt of this invention is referred to generally in. FIG. 1 by the reference numeral 10 and is intended to simulate a dress shirt to be worn with a suit jacket. It should be understood that the dress shirt 10 may be worn with various suit jackets for both men and women. The dress shirt 10 includes a flexible collar portion 11 that is intended to generally fit around a person's neck. Of course, such a collar portion 11 may have different shapes for its intended application.

The dress shirt 10 further includes a front portion 12 that includes a top portion 13 integral therewith and disposed substantially along the shoulders of a person and connected to the collar portion 11. The front portion 12 extends downwardly from the collar portion 11 and ends at a bottom portion 14 which may be positioned adjacent to a person's waist. The bottom portion 14 is formed to have a substantially arcuate shape. In an alternate embodiment, the bottom portion 14″ has a substantially level or horizontal shape, as perhaps best shown in FIG. 3.

Furthermore, the front portion 12 has a centrally disposed longitudinal axis (not shown) and includes a pair of oppositely disposed outer edge portions 15, 16, which are substantially equally spaced from the longitudinal axis. In particular, each outer edge portion 15, 16 has a width at the top portion 13 that is greater than a width at the bottom portion 14.

The dress shirt 10 further includes a pair of inner edge portions 17, 18 overlapping each other and disposed generally parallel to the longitudinal axis and spaced substantially equally therefrom. The inner edge portions 17, 18 preferably extend from the collar portion 11 downwardly and substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis where they end at the bottom portion 14.

Inner edge portion 18 includes a plurality of fastening members 19 such as conventional shirt buttons, for example, attached thereto generally along the longitudinal axis. Such a plurality of fastening members 19 are substantially equally spaced from each other and extend generally from the collar portion 11 vertically downwardly towards the bottom portion 14. Inner edge portion 17 includes a plurality of slots 20 formed therein generally along the longitudinal axis. Such slots 20 are substantially equally spaced from each other and substantially aligned with the plurality of fastening members 19 for receiving same so that the inner edge portions 17, 18 can be maintained in an overlapping position, as clearly shown.

The dress shirt 10 further includes a first elongate strap 21 having opposed end portions 27, 28 spaced from each other. The end portions of strap 21 are permanently connected to the outer edge portions 15, 16 of the front portion 12 and generally medially from the top and bottom portions 13, 14, respectively. In particular, strap 21 extends around the chest of a person for assisting to maintain the dress shirt 10 at a stable position, as perhaps better shown in FIG. 2.

Now referring to FIG. 2 in more detail, dress shirt 10 is shown as including a back portion 23 having a top portion 24 integral therewith and connected to the front portion 12 and connected to the collar portion 11. Of course, the back portion 23 may be integral with the front portion if suitable for a person wearing the dress shirt 10. The back portion 23 also has a width at the top portion 24 thereof which is greater than the width of its bottom portion 25, which is disposed above the bottom portion 14 of the front portion 12. In particular, the back portion 23 only partially extends down a person's back and ends generally medially thereof and its bottom portion 25.

Now referring to FIG. 4, an alternate embodiment 10′ of the dress shirt is shown as having outer edge portions 15′, 16′ converging downwardly towards each other and ending at the bottom portion 14′ generally along the longitudinal axis. Thus, the bottom portion 14′ has a width that is narrower than the width of the bottom portion 14, described in the previous embodiment hereinabove. Such an embodiment 10′ provides a front portion 12′ with a substantially V-shaped design.

In addition, strap 21′ includes opposed end portions 27′ and 28′, which are securable to each other generally medially of the bottom and top portions 14′, 13′, respectively, and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. In particular, the opposed end portion are preferably securely connected to the outer edge portions 15′, 16′ and include a Velcro portion for easily engaging and disengaging each other.

While the invention has been described with respect to certain specific embodiments, it will be appreciated that many modifications and changes may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is intended, therefore, by the appended claims to cover all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention. 

1. A dress shirt comprising: a collar portion for generally fitting around a neck of a person; a front portion having a centrally disposed longitudinal axis and including a plurality of opposed outer edge portions spaced substantially equally and outwardly from the longitudinal axis, said front portion having a top portion connected to said collar portion and further having a bottom portion spaced from said top portion and disposed generally about a waist of a person; a back portion connected to said collar portion and extending downwardly therefrom, said back portion having a bottom portion ending above said bottom portion of said front portion; and means for removably securing said back portion and said front portion in a stable position on a person.
 2. The dress shirt of claim 1, wherein said front portion comprises: a plurality of inner edge portions aligned generally parallel to the longitudinal axis and overlap each other.
 3. The dress shirt of claim 2, wherein one of said plurality of inner edge portions includes a plurality of slots spaced from each other generally parallel to the longitudinal axis, another of said plurality of inner edge portions includes a plurality of fastening members spaced from each other generally parallel to the longitudinal axis and substantially aligned with said plurality of slots for interlocking therewith respectively.
 4. The dress shirt of claim 1, wherein the top portion of said front portion has a width that is greater than a width of the bottom portion thereof.
 5. The dress shirt of claim 1, wherein said plurality of outer edge portions converge downwardly towards each other and end at the bottom portion of said front portion and generally at the longitudinal axis.
 6. The dress shirt of claim 1, wherein said securing means comprises a first elastic strap having a first end portion connected to one of said plurality of outer edge portions, said first strap having a second end portion removably attachable to another of said plurality of outer edge portions.
 7. The dress shirt of claim 6, wherein said securing means further comprises a second elastic strap having a first end portion connected to said back portion and extending downwardly therefrom towards a waist of a person.
 8. The dress shirt of claim 1, wherein said bottom portion has a substantially arcuate shape.
 9. The dress shirt of claim 6, wherein the first and second end portions of said first strap are connected to said front portion.
 10. A dress shirt comprising: a collar portion for generally fitting around a neck of a person; a front portion having a centrally disposed longitudinal axis and including a plurality of opposed outer edge portions spaced substantially equally and outwardly from the longitudinal axis, said front portion having a top portion connected to said collar portion and further having a bottom portion spaced from said top portion and disposed generally about a waist of a person said front portion further includes a plurality of inner edge portions aligned generally parallel to the longitudinal axis and overlap each other, one of said plurality of inner edge portions includes a plurality of slots spaced from each other generally parallel to the longitudinal axis, another of said plurality of inner edge portions includes a plurality of fastening members spaced from each other generally parallel to the longitudinal axis and substantially aligned with said plurality of slots for interlocking therewith respectively; a back portion connected to said collar portion and extending downwardly therefrom, said back portion having a bottom portion ending above said bottom portion of said front portion; and means for removably securing said back portion and said front portion in a stable position on a person, said securing means includes a first elastic strap having a first end portion connected to one of said plurality of outer edge portions, said first strap having a second end portion removably attachable to another of said plurality of outer edge portions.
 11. The dress shirt of claim 10, wherein the top portion of said front portion has a width that is greater than a width of the bottom portion thereof.
 12. The dress shirt of claim 10, wherein said plurality of outer edge portions converge downwardly towards each other and end at the bottom portion of said front portion and generally at the longitudinal axis.
 13. The dress shirt of claim 10, wherein said securing means further comprises a second elastic strap having a first end portion connected to said back portion and extending downwardly therefrom and towards a waist of a person.
 14. The dress shirt of claim 1, wherein said bottom portion has a substantially arcuate shape.
 15. The dress shirt of claim 8, wherein the first and second end portions of said first strap are connected to said front portion.
 16. A dress shirt comprising: a collar portion for generally fitting around a neck of a person; a front portion having a centrally disposed longitudinal axis and including a plurality of opposed outer edge portions spaced substantially equally and outwardly from the longitudinal axis, said front portion having a top portion connected to said collar portion and further having a bottom portion spaced from said top portion and disposed generally about a waist of a person said front portion further includes a plurality of inner edge portions aligned generally parallel to the longitudinal axis and overlap each other, one of said plurality of inner edge portions includes a plurality of slots spaced from each other generally parallel to the longitudinal axis, another of said plurality of inner edge portions includes a plurality of fastening members spaced from each other generally parallel to the longitudinal axis and substantially aligned with said plurality of slots for interlocking therewith respectively, the top portion of said front portion has a width that is greater than a width of the bottom portion thereof; a back portion connected to said collar portion and extending downwardly therefrom, said back portion having a bottom portion ending above said bottom portion of said front portion; and means for removably securing said back portion and said front portion in a stable position on a person said securing means includes a first elastic strap having a first end portion connected to one of said plurality of outer edge portions, said first strap having a second end portion removably attachable to another of said plurality of outer edge portions, said securing means further includes a second elastic strap having a first end portion connected to said back portion and extending downwardly therefrom and towards a waist of a person.
 17. The dress shirt of claim 16, wherein said plurality of outer edge portions converge downwardly towards each other and end at the bottom portion of said front portion and generally at the longitudinal axis.
 18. The dress shirt of claim 16, wherein said bottom portion has a substantially arcuate shape.
 19. The dress shirt of claim 16, wherein the first and second end portions of said first strap are connected to said front portion. 